Overview

Norrie Lake, in the Middle and South Branches Embarrass Rive Watershed, is a 95.88 acre lake that falls in Marathon County. This lake is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently not considered impaired.

Date  2011

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

Source: 1977, Surface Water Resources of Marathon County Norrie Lake, T28N, RIOE, Section 26 Surface Acres = 98.5, Maximum Depth = 19 feet, Secchi Disk = 4 feet.

A very soft water drained lake having slightly acid, medium brown water of low transparency. The immediate shoreline is upland (65 percent) of hardwood, cultivated and cleared land with the remainder being bog and coniferous wetland. The littoral materials are composed of sand (55 percent), muck (30 percent), boulders (10 percent), and gravel (5 percent). Floating and submergent aquatic vegetation are moderate in density while emergent types are sparse. Fish species inhabiting the lake include northern pike, largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, and black crappie. Muskrat use this lake. An unimproved public boat landing without parking is located on the south shore. Shoreline developments include 3 dwellings and a picnic site. The outlet flows to Spring Brook.

Date  1977

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

General Condition

Norrie Lake (310100) was assessed during the 2016 listing cycle; total phosphorus sample data were clearly below 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water was also assessed for chlorides and sample data were clearly below 2016 WisCALM chronic and acute listing criteria for the Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water is meeting these designated uses and is not considered impaired.

Date  2015

Author  Ashley Beranek

Condition

Wisconsin has over 84,000 miles of streams, 15,000 lakes and milllions of acres of wetlands. Assessing the condition of this vast amount of water is challenging. The state's water monitoring program uses a media-based, cross-program approach to analyze water condition. An updated monitoring strategy (2015-2020) is now available. Compliance with Clean Water Act fishable, swimmable standards are located in the Executive Summary of Water Condition in 2018. See also the 'monitoring and projects' tab.

Reports

Management Goals

Wisconsin's Water Quality Standards provide qualitative and quantitative goals for waters that are protective of Fishable, Swimmable conditions [Learn more]. Waters that do not meet water quality standards are considered impaired and restoration actions are planned and carried out until the water is once again fishable and swimmable

Management goals can include creation or implementation of a Total Maximum Daily Load analysis, a Nine Key Element Plan, or other restoration work, education and outreach and more. If specific recommendations exist for this water, they will be displayed below online.

Monitoring

Monitoring the condition of a river, stream, or lake includes gathering physical, chemical, biological, and habitat data. Comprehensive studies often gather all these parameters in great detail, while lighter assessment events will involve sampling physical, chemical and biological data such as macroinvertebrates. Aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish communities integrate watershed or catchment condition, providing great insight into overall ecosystem health. Chemical and habitat parameters tell researchers more about human induced problems including contaminated runoff, point source dischargers, or habitat issues that foster or limit the potential of aquatic communities to thrive in a given area. Wisconsin's Water Monitoring Strategy was recenty updated.

Grants and Management Projects

Monitoring Projects

Watershed Characteristics

Norrie Lake is located in the Middle and South Branches Embarrass Rive watershed which is 250.01 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (41.90%), wetland (26.70%) and a mix of agricultural (18.70%) and other uses (12.60%). This watershed has 273.90 stream miles, 632.66 lake acres and 38,496.80 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Low for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked for runoff impacts on lakes and Medium for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of Medium. This value can be used in ranking the watershed or individual waterbodies for grant funding under state and county programs.However, all waters are affected by diffuse pollutant sources regardless of initial water quality. Applications for specific runoff projects under state or county grant programs may be pursued. For more information, go to surface water program grants.